Clothes-suspending apparatus



. .l. MER-MELSTEIN.

CLOTHES SUSPENDING APPARATUS. APPLICATION HLED A'PR I8. 1919.

'11',329,541 Patented Feb. 3, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

J2 $9 a Z "If Z 55% 6 l 11) A r l l l 37 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS MERMEIJSTEIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLOTHES-SUSPENDING APPARATUS. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 3, 1920.

Application filed April 18, 1919. Serial No. 291,020.

To all whom z't-may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUS MnRMEnsTEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at 'Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Suspending Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide improved apparatus for supporting or suspending clothes so that clothes can be hung thereon in a manner so as to occupy a minimum amount of space.

Another object is to so construct the apparatus of my invention that the part which directly supports the clothes can be raised to such a level that the clothes will be out of the way of persons walking thereunder and for this reason my invention is particularly well adapted for use in residences or the like for supporting washed clothes so that they can readily dry.

A still further object is to so construct the apparatus of my invention that it can be directly attached to the ceiling of a room and so that the clothes-supporting part can be readily raised and lowered.

Another object is to so construct the clothes-supporting part that the clothes will not accidentally become detached therefrom;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation taken on the line 44: of Fig. 2; the central portion being broken away,

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig; 1,

' brace the sides of the beam Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of a number of pulley-supporting, brackets which form a part of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, 8. represents a longitudinally extendingv beamhaving a removabletop cover plate 9. The beam and cover plate are .adapted to be supported by lag bolts 10 to a ceiling 11 or other overhead supporting structure, such for example as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The beam Shas a longitudinally extending channel 12 which is closed on its top by the plate 9. Two apertures 13 and 14 extend upwardlyfrom the bottomsurface 15 of the beam and communicate with the channel 12 at. its opposite ends, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Two pairs of brackets 16 and 17 are provided and-each of the brackets has a recess 18 in its, upper surface which permits the brackets to em- 8, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Each ofv the brackets 16 and 17 has a flange 19 following the line of the recesses 18 and these flanges 19 permit of the attachment ofthe respective pairs of brackets 16 and 17 to the beam 8 by bolts 20; the nuts on the upper ends of said bolts bei g d pt t0 fit within cavities 21 so that the upper ends of the bolts will be covered by the top plate 9. The brackets of each pair have inwardly ex.- tending lips 22 which form a closure at the ends of the brackets for the space between the brackets, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 so that the space between the brackets provides a passageway for raising and suspending ropes, as will hereinafter be more completely described.

A pulley block23 has arms 24: which are secured by screws 25 to the top of the beam 8, said arms being set in recesses out within said beam at opposite sides of the channel 12, as clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6 inclusive. The pulley block 23 includes a shaft .26 upon which four pulleys 27, 28, 29 and 30 are rotatably mounted. The pulleys 27,28, 29 and 30 are positioned directly over the aperture 14 and the brackets 17 are positioned under the aperture l tsothat one sideof each of said pulleys 2 7,- 28, 29

- ing upwardly downwardly through and is tangent to a plane passing through the space between the pair of brackets 17 Thus it will be understood that ropes passing downwardly from said latter pulleys will pass directly through the space between the pair of brackets 17, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. 7

Another pulley block 31 has arms 32 which are supported on the top of the beam 8 adjacent the opposite end of the channel 12 and these arms are set in recesses in a manner similar to that described in connection with the arms 24. The pulley block 31 includes a shaft 33 upon which are mounted two pulleys 34 and 35 (see Figs. 3, 4 and 5). The pulleys 34 and 35 are so positioned that ropes passing thereover can extend directly downwardly through the aperture 13 and space between the pair of brackets 16. The brackets 17 form a rotatable support for four pulleys 36, 37, 38 and 39, said pulleys being freely rotatable on shafts 40 which are secured in the pair of brackets 17. Thus the pulleys 36, 37, 38 and 39 are positioned so as to rotate freely in the space between the pair of brackets 17 and serve as supporting and guiding members for two ropes 41 and 42, said ropes also respectively passfrom under the pulle s 37 and 38 over the pulleys 28 and 29 an then the aperture 14 and are connected to a ring 43, said ring 43 having'a hoisting rope 44 attached thereto, as

clearly shown in Fig. 2. V

The brackets 16 also form a support for four shafts 45 (see Fig. 5), said' shafts supporting pulleys 46, 47, 48 and 49. These latter mentioned pulleys are in the same arrangement with respect to the brackets 16 as the pulleys 36, 37, 38 and 39 occupy with relation to the brackets 17. Two other ropes 50 and 51 pass over the pullleys 27 and 30 and downwardly through the aperture 14 and are connected to the ring 43. These the pulleys 27 and 30 extend through the channel connectionsimilar to 'nection with the elements 12 and over the pulleys 34 and 35, then downwardly through the aperture 13 and between the brackets 16 and respectively pass under the pulleys 47 and 45 and then over the pulleys 46 and 49. The lower ends of the ropes 50 and 51 are provided with snap hooks, such as shown at 52in Figs. 1 and 2, said "snap hooks on the ropes 50 and 51 being secured to eyelets 53 in the opposite ends of bars 54 in a rack 55. The rack 55 includes a longitudinally extending main bar 56 to which the transverse bar 54 is con nected, said main bar also supporting another transversely extending bar 57 to which the lower ends of the ropes 41 and 42 are attached by means of snap hook and eyelet that described in con-. 52 and 53. The transversely extending bars 54 and 57 are spaced apart and the connection with the bars 54 and 57 and their respective supporting ropes 41, 42, 50 and 51 is such that the ropes, in supporting the rack 55, will hang vertical, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The main bar 56 of therack 55 forms a support for clothes supporting pins 58. These pins 58 extend throughholes in the bar 56 and at their opposite ends are split as shown at 59 to permit clothes to be slipped and wedged therein. In other words, the pins 58 are bifurcated and the insertion of clothes or other fabric serves to spread the furcations which thereby firmlyhold the clothes to the pins and prevent them from accidentally falling off the pins when the rack is raised and lowered as will be described hereinafter.

By arranging the pulleys and ropes as above described, the rack 55 can be raised by pulling on the rope 44 and the rope 44 can be attached to any securing means, such for example as the cleat 60, as shown in Fig. 1 so that the rack can be held in its raised position. Furthermore by making the brackets of the shape as illustrated, the pulleys 37 and 38 and pulleys 47 and 48 can be positioned directly below the respective apertures in the beam and the pulleys 46 and 49, and 36 and 39 will serve to firmly support their respective ropes at a position at opposite sides of the beam so as to permit the ropes to be freely manipulated without chance of entanglement during the raising and lowering operation.

While I have described my invention as taking a particular form, stood that the various parts of my invention may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do-not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is r 1. Apparatus of the character described including a supporting beam having an inclosed channel and apertures communicating with said channel; pulleys positioned within said channel; a clothes-supporting rack; ropes attached to said rack and extending upwardly through said apertures and over the pulleys within said channel, said ropes having portions extending out of said channel whereby the rack can be raised and lowcred; brackets secured to said beam and providing a space through which said ropes can pass; and pulleys positioned within the space between said brackets and around which said ropes pass; substantially as described.

2.-Apparatus of the character described including a supporting beam having a chanit will be undernel therein; pulleys positioned within said I channel; a clothes-supporting rack; ropes sitely disposed lips forming a closure for attached to said rack and extending upthe space between said brackets of each pair;

wardly and over the pulleys within said substantially as described.

channel, said ropes having portions extend- In testimony whereof I have signed my 15 5 ing out of said channel whereby the rack name to this specification in the presence of can be raised and lowered; brackets secured two subscribing witnesses.

to said beam and providing a space through which said ropes can pass; and pulleys posi- JULIUS MERMELSTEIN' tioned within the space between said brack- Witnesses: 10 ets and around which said ropes pass, said EVELYN CRoMPToN,

brackets being made in pairs havmg oppo CHAs. E. Po'rrs. 

